Teacher: *English Language Learners (ELL)*
By: Morgan Blechschmid and Danielle Shehee
March 26, 2021
Mr. Leonard Piechowski is a well-respected teacher here at Brooklyn High School. Along with a science degree, he also teaches the English language to students who do not know our native language; the goal is to make them more comfortable with the language and schooling in general. Mr. Piechowski has been a great advocate for Brooklyn’s GSA (gay-straight-alliance) Program, as well as hosting Brooklyn’s International Festival to teach students about different cultures. Piechowski is very passionate about his career and appreciates and cares for his students, which is why he was chosen for this week’s staff profile.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: “I was born in Cleveland, but my parents moved to Garfield Heights when I was three-years-old. So, most of my childhood and adolescence was spent there.”
Q: What is the best place that you have ever visited?
A: “I think the most beautiful place I ever visited was Paris, France. I’ve been there several times, and I never get tired of it. I also like southern France. I have often said that if I had a chance to do it all again, I would expatriate there, if for no other reason than they have the best bread I have ever tasted. It crunches, then melts in the mouth. Another place I love is Gethsemane, Kentucky. I visited there in my twenties and got up at 3:00 a.m. on a clear night. It is miles from any lights of the city, and I was able to lay down in the grass and see the magnificence of the Milky Way.”
Q: How do you feel as a teacher when you reflect on the growth a student has made with learning the English language?
A: “I get pretty attached to my students and am very proud of them. It’s hard to let go of them when they graduate or move on. So next year, I plan to keep in touch by substitute teaching here at Brooklyn every once and awhile. That will also allow me to see all of my friends that I have made on the faculty.”
Q: What advice would you give to your past self?
A: “Be who you are, right away. Be who you are, not what you think people want you to be.”
Q: Are you able to fluently speak a foreign language?
A: “I used to be okay in French. I can’t say I was ever able to speak it with absolute mastery, but I spoke it well enough to do pretty well in getting around Paris. Lately, I have lost most of it, although I can still pretty much understand it when I read it.”
Q: If someone was to walk into your room during a lesson, what would be seen and heard?
A: “Right now, they would see an empty classroom because, when I’m not giving state tests, I’m in other teachers’ classrooms trying to help my English Language Learners.”
Q: Where do you see yourself a year from now?
A: “I’m planning to retire after this year. So next year, I’ll be sitting at home in my favorite recliner, with my feet up, either reading or watching The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad for a second time on Netflix. I’ll also be driving my grandsons to and from school and helping them with their homework. Can’t wait! I’ve had a great professional life, but I’m ready to take it easy.”
Q: What is a typical day like for you?
A: “I’m up at 4:30 a.m. (I have two dogs who serve as my alarm clocks, even on weekends), have coffee, and watch the news to see what I missed in the world while I was sleeping. I get really ticked off about what I generally hear in the news. Then, I shower, shave, head to school, and take it from there. I have a schedule of whose classes I support on different days, and I pretty well-follow that unless I have testing to do. Mrs. Huang and I usually go for a two-mile walk during our lunch break, and when I get home around 3:45, I have a variety of things to do, such as taking my five-and-a-half-year-old grandson to mixed martial arts, basketball, or swimming classes. I’m in bed by 8:00 p.m., so don’t call me later than that!”
Thank you for the amazing responses, Mr. Piechowski! We will miss you, but you have earned retirement and your ride into the sunset.
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 